A War of Wills
by elflock
Summary: This is a story of a battle of wills between Harry, Draco, Hermione, and the Dark Lord. Ill update when I can. BTW this is elflocks girlfriend
1. The Beginning

The height of cleverness is to be able to conceal it.  
- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Chapter 1: The Beginning

He sat on the Express, waiting, his head was resting on the cool window of the train. His hands were holding onto the book that he was reading _Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. _He knew that is a muggle book but the title had intrigued him... Behind his blond hair were two tired eyes that have experienced hate, sorrow and pain for 17 years, from the day of his birth. Even though his eyelids were falling, he would not sleep; he could not sleep, because his very life depended on it.

Draco Malfoy turned his head. One ear now rest upon the window. He listened to the beating of the wheels against the tracks; the sound was list a smooth drum. He took heed of his breathing, the beating of his heart, for he released from Saint Mungo's just the day before, his father and him had been in a duel. In the background he could hear the soft talking, laughing and the silence in the background and he cold feel it all press upon his ears. A throbbing twinge came from his left arm; he opened his eyes and lifted his head.

Looking out the carriage window, into the small hallway he saw several people pass by. Only one dared to look in at him, he gave them a dirty look. Pulling down the shade, he tried to rest in discomfort; the twinge on his arm was like a heartbeat, it never stopped now that the Dark Lord was newly raised. Running a hand through his hair he got up, he had to walk around.

Hermione Granger sat with her friends, relaxing. She was enjoying the Daily Prophet that she had received that morning just before she left. In front of her sat Harry and Ron who were cramming in some last minute reading that they felt that they didn't need to do over the Summer. Unlike herself, who had bought all of her books and started reading the after she had bought them, then finished the books in about a week. She was a fast reader, she had always been. Before Hogwarts, she was bullied because her classmates did not believe that she could read a 600-page book in 2.5 days for her classmates a 600-page book would take them over a week to read.

Folding up the newspaper she folded it neatly and put it back in her trunk…which was neatly pack, as per usual, everything it together with everything else. She was just a little bit obsessive compulsive, from her mother. Now she was bored and a little tired, yet school had not started Hermione was over worked from her babysitting _(hey, a girl has got to make a living)_ jobs and staying up all the night before worries about Harry. He still was having nightmares about Voldemort.

He had sent her a letter saying that he was staying at the Burrow because he ran away from his Aunts and Uncles. Apparently, he could not take it anymore, he could not take the yelling, the fighting, the threats, and the grinding of the teeth and the constant work that Dudley never did or never will do…ever. Hermione looked at him and catching his eye, smiled, he returned hers with a grin then he returned to his reading. Then she looked at Ron, he was concerting on what he was reading. Which surprised her because he really didn't concentrate on anything unless he knew that she wasn't going to help him with it.

Looking out the window, the sun was still up; she did the math in her head…another five hours until the train would arrive in Hogsmeade.

'Great…' she thought.

Laying her head down on the armrest, she put her feet up on the opposite rest and being only 5'5", she fit perfectly on the seat. Using her coat as a blanket and Ron's sweater as pillow, Harry didn't have a coat, she fell into sweet Morpheus's embrace. That is what the two men in front of her; they have never known her to be bored or to sleep on the train.

Draco's walk proved to be pointless. He had to shake himself loose of Pansy, who almost hugged the breath out of him. Then Blaise and Theodore caught up with him and they wanted to know why he had not joined them in their compartment and he had a good reason, "Piss off." Is all that he said to them, they knew that he was angry and tired because they were also, they were also branded, and they felt the pain of the call.

Blaise and Theodore were followed him back to his apartment until two pretty girls passed them and they immediately turned and followed them, buttering them up. Draco smirked and walked the rest of the length to his "prison." Opening the door he stepped in, instantly he blocked his thoughts because he was not alone. He could sense that the person was not going to harm him because it was a whole ten seconds before he sat down. If someone wanted to hurt him, they would have done it already.

Then he saw that air shimmer in front of him and from under an invisibility cloak, a beautiful woman emerged. It was his mother; her blue eyes were gleaming with tears, her golden hair was disheveled, and he could see a purple bruise start on her face, neck, and shoulders. Draco knew immediately what this meant, his father was back home. He was only away for a few months and this is how he repaid her, with a beating.

"Mother…I…What happened? What did he do?" Draco moved to sit next to his mother, the coldness and the hatred that his father taught him at a young age was forgotten and remembered at the same time. All his blood was pounding through his veins to his heart that wanted to destroy his father.

"H-He is back Draco. H-He-." She made motions with her hands to her bruises. He knew that his father was a brutal man.

When Lucius came home, he came home even more of a changed man. Azkaban had hardened him to a point of such evil that he was almost in human but he could hide it well...

Draco had once came home from a late night at Blaise's house. It was when Draco was in his 15 year. He came home around noon-he had been out for close to 24 hours- Lucius was furious at him. Draco was tired but his father challenged him to a duel.

It was simple: Draco lost, he was no match to a man that had been a killer since the age of 16. Draco was so badly injured that his mother had to call healers so he could go to Saint Mungo's to recover.

What his mother meant that by back, Lucius was back to his old self, his old Death Eater self. He was in a bad mood and probably will be for the rest of his life until something strikes him that scares him enough to act like there is no life tomorrow and live life in the now not the future or the past…

Placing a comforting arm around his mother's shoulders, he felt uncomfortable around crying woman, but it as his job to bring joy to her when she needed it. That was the main thing that he had to do right without delay. After a few minutes, she wiped her tears on his silk handkerchief. She righted the wrong and she stood, Draco also stood.

"I must be going now, he thinks I am in the gardens…" And with a soft kiss on his forehead and a small pop his mother was gone, probably forever if Lucius got wind that she had seen Draco before he had. Sitting back down, Draco waited until it was a half an hour until he had to change.

Hermione woke to the sound of talking and laughter and the thought of how long had see been asleep? Sitting up and taking a quick glance out the window she noticed that the sun had set. Checking her watch the time read 7.30 P.M. She had slept for four and a half hours.

"Sleeping beauty is up." She heard Harry say, turning to look at him she was greeted with a warm smile that always cheered her up. She ran a hand through her hair, just to get all the knots out of it. She looked at her best friends, over the years nothing had really changed about their eating habits other then they ate more. They were sitting next to each other with a neatly stacked pile of chocolate frog packages in-between them.

"Hello Sunshine…" Ron said while unwrapping a chocolate frog and stuffing it into his mouth. Gulping it down rather quickly he added. "I am glad to see that you are alive and kicking. Harry and I were worried, you never get bored on the train and you never sleep on one either."

It was true, Hermione never slept on the train and she rarely close to never got bored on the train. She always had something to read, or draw, or even color if she was desperate for something. However, she never, _**never**_, slept on the train it freaks her out and would makes her sick.

"Well, you have nothing to worry about, either of you. I am fine don't worry. I just had nothing to do." It was the end of that conversation.

If only that were true, then Harry and Ron wouldn't have to worry about her and they could worry about everything else. They now have to worry about her and everything else.

Hermione glanced out the window again, she could see Hogwarts in the distance, each light shining like it was a star. Getting changed, quickly she had to redo her make-up, this surprised Ron the most. He really never thought of Hermione as the make-up wearing kind. Well, he guessed that he knew that from their fourth year when Hermione told him off for not noticing that she was a _girl _until the very last minute, and then tried to as her out at the same time.

This was only the beginning of her greatest year, her seventh and final year at Hogwarts. She would not let anyone screw it up for her. 'Not Malfoy, not anyone…'she thought to herself and grinning. She was looking as Hogsmeade Station loomed closer and closer to them.


	2. Inner Peace

Contrary to general belief, I do not believe that friends are necessarily the people you like best, they are merely the people who got there first.  
- Peter Ustinov

Chapter Two: Inner Peace

It was a long day and they were happy that it was almost over. Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way into the castle to the Great Hall with the rest of the school. Harry was deep in thought as he and Ron walked behind Hermione. He studied her as she walked (A/N-okay he _is_ a male) she had a confidence around her, something that he had never seen before.

The Great Hall was decorated beautifully. As usual the teachers were watching from the Head Table and glancing up, Harry saw Dumbledore's eyes glitter cleverly. Wondering what the Head Master was up to Harry sat down at the table, in his usual place next to Hermione and Ron. He could feel the heat of the fireplace, just one table away, and wash across his face. Just then, he realized that he was very tired.

Forgetting about his weariness, he attempted to pay attention but that proved pointless. As Dumbledore started to speak, Harry's mind wandered to a different land. He looked around, Hermione was listening carefully- as per usual- and Ron was playing with his fork waiting for the food. Finally, Dumbledore said those fateful words

"Let the feast begin!"

The feast seemed to pass in a rush. Draco wasn't fazed by this, he didn't really care. In front of him Pansy was going on and on about the summer without him and how she barely survived it. Blaise and Nott were still chatting up the two girls that passed them on the train. He watched Blaise for a minute who was talking to a blond haired blue eyed girl. She had a rather… (um) …gifted upper torso. Overhearing Nott, Draco turned again. He was talking to a black haired green eyes beauty; she had the looks of a classic pureblood.

Looking at Pansy and comparing the two girls to her. She was ugly, no ugly was a compliment for her she was hideous. Her nose was a pig-snout and her eyes were set to far apart but on the good side, she had money. Wait, her father and mother had the money.

Dumbledore started to speak again and he had nothing better to do then to listen. Although listening to him over Pansy, who continued to talk to him. Suddenly the subject of the Head people came up from him. He had not other choice then to cover go across the table and cover Pansy's mouth, who was clearly surprised at his move, she shut up.

"The new Head Girl will be Hermione Granger." Draco wasn't shocked that it was her, she had the smarts to be the Head. She can be tough when she wanted to and she her one-half of the highest grades in the school… only one-half because Draco had the other half of the highest grades.

He saw her rise from her seat and overjoyed, she was starting to tear up, she walked into the other room. Draco smirked at him self. He knew he was the Head Boy.

Waiting was not one of Hermione's high points, in other words…she was not the most patient person in the world. Walking in a circle to amuse her self only for a short while before she heard feet walking down the stairs, finally, the Head Boy had been chosen. To her the five minutes that she had been in the room had seemed like hours.

At first, she saw Dumbledore chatting happily Professor McGonagall. Behind them was the line of teachers who dispersed from each other and stood in their corners of the room. At the end of the line, the Head Boy stood _victorious_, or it seemed like he did. A blonde haired grey eyes man stood at the bottom of the stairs with a smirk that was directed at her. Malfoy was the Head Boy.

_Now how did I know that? _Hermione thought strangely, she knew that it could have been Harry, but she knew that it would be Malfoy.

"Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy…please, have a seat." Dumbledore motioned to two chairs that he conjured. The way that they sat told a lot about them. Malfoy sat laidback and easy going in his chair taking up the cushion. Hermione sat on the edge of the seat, eager to get started. Dumbledore conjured a desk and a chair that he sat in. The two professors and House Leaders of the new Heads took their places behind them.

Dumbledore started.

"I know that you both are eager to start this year with a bang. However, there are some rules. Although you are in different houses I expect to see you, the pair of you, working together on patrolling the halls during the hours of 8-11:30 P.M. Draco since you are the Captain of the Quidditch team this year you have a even bigger responsibility.

_Great, here we go again…fricking responsibility. First I get a lecture from the Dark Lord about loyalty and then from Snape about how…oh had did he put it…I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. Bloody wonderful, now from Dumbledore about responsibility…_ Draco was thinking viciously at himself.

Looking over at "Granger" he wondered why she was so eager to get started. She was sitting on the edge of the seat, almost falling off it. Dumbledore was still talking to him about _responsibility_.

"And finally, the Heads have a dorm set aside for them on the seventh floor. Look for a picture of a Italian couple bickering at each other." He looked unhappy about it. "Just tell them to be quiet and for them to stop their bickering. They will stop, give them your names, and show them your badges. They will remember you each time you come." The gleam in his eye had left when he was talking to them about the bickering couple. He handed them their badges.

"Your dismissed and all your belongs have been brought to your separate rooms along with your class schedules that are on top of your trunks."

The two turned around the corner and almost ran into their friend. Whipping off the invisibility cloak and smiling innocently they acted like they were not looking for her. Hermione didn't seem too surprised that they were there. Harry and Ron scared her all the time when she was at the Burrow.

"What are you two out for, you are supposed to be in bed," She was stern.

"We wanted to see you in the prime of your day?" Ron answered sweetly she looked at him like he was a Looney toon.

"This is not the prime of my day, Ron, it is 10 at night. It is the prime of the night." She touched his arm in sympathy and laughing at his comment.

"Well, sorry. I didn't know that you were so politically correct all of a sudden."

"I can be at times. However, I need a legitimate reason why you tow are out of the dormitory."

Harry stuttered for an answer, finally one popped into his head.

"We were walking to the Gryffindor tower and I saw something in the corner of my eye. And it turned out to be you."

"With your invisibility cloak?"

_Damn, I forgot about that._

"I have an idea, why don't you both go to bed. Think of a reason tell me at breakfast. Then I might believe you…You don't need to worry about me, I am smart and powerful. He won't dare mess with me." They turned and went, where Hermione supposed was there room.

Walking down the corridor she heard arguing, it was the old couple. They were fighting, just as Dumbledore said. The portrait was beautiful, the couple was painted in harmony with each other. The man was sitting in front of the woman, a sign of power and significance.

He wasn't looked behind him at her but looking at Hermione who now stood in front of the portrait. The woman stopped yelling and looked at her. Her glare was icy for a moment then was kind.

"I suppose that you want to get in like that handsome blonde man." Her voice was milky and sweet like chocolate. Hermione showed the woman her badge and the door opened after she told them her name. As soon as she stepped in the hallway leading to the common room, she could hear the two fighting, again.

The room was decorated in green, gold, very little red, and black- she supposed that there was little red because then it would clash with the green and end up looking up like Christmas. There was no else in the room, thankfully, she really didn't feel like confronting…_him_. She was still wondering in the back of her mind why Malfoy was named Head Boy, other than his grades.

Opening the door to her room she looked around, it was almost like her dormitory room with a heater in the center and the walls were round. The only difference was the bed was feather and the pillows were feather also. Her trunk, like the Head Master had said, was in her room and her schedule was where it was supposed to be.

Laying down on the bed after she changed in to her pajamas, she fell asleep. It was the second time this day that she had fallen asleep. Something inside of her was wearing her down, maybe she just needed a good eight hour night's rest. Again she fell into a deep sleep, it would be dreamless but the memory of her two best friends came into her view.

Harry and Ron walked back to there room quickly, they didn't want to get caught by a teacher. Walking through the portrait door to the Gryffindor common room it was quiet taking their seats in front of the fire. After a few minutes Ron stood, yawned and told Harry that he was going to bed.

"Harry are you coming?" Ron asked him.

"Not right now, I'll come later. I need to think..." Harry said staring into the depths of the fire. Somehow the flames cleared his head, giving him an inner peace that he hasn't felt for a while.


	3. Feelings and Potions Masters

Chapter Three: Feelings and Potions Masters

The night is hardly a place to dream. . .

Harry woke to the sound of ringing coming from his alarm. Knocking it off the nightstand, to shut it off, it broke. It seemed almost daily that Harry had to fix it and reset it. Groaning hr climbed out of his bed while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Picking up the broken clock he tapped it with his wand, instantly fixing it. Grabbing his glasses off the nightstand he cleaned them with the bottom of his shirt.

The dormitory was quiet except for Ron's snoring. Harry looked around at all his friends; they had not been fazed by his noises. Ron was on his back snoring and mumbling something about a spider wanting to marry him. Seamus was curled in a bale hugging his pillow. Dean had a pillow over his head and Neville was teetering on the edge of his bed about to fall off.

Getting dressed quickly, Harry made his way down to breakfast to meet Hermione and Ginny, he would let Ron sleep in just a little bit. Over the first month of school the homework had possibly made a record in the six other years that the trio had been there. During that time Hermione had given up on Ron for a week, then he got into the habit of studying… it was weird. He was, for a while, the male Hermione.

The Great Hall was full of life as it always was, walking through the open doors Harry spotted Hermione who looked like she was in a heavy staring contest with the wall white Ginny was absently talking to her. Walking to them, Harry sat next to Hermione who snapped out of her 'trance' and gave a friendly smile to Harry.

"Where is Ron?" She asked seeing if Ron was walking through the entrance of the Hall, he didn't.

"Since it is Saturday so l decided to not wake him up. He has almost turned into you…" Hermione turned away from him apparently deep in thought again. Across from him Ginny sat with her head on the table, she had given up on talking to Hermione when she realized that she wasn't listening to her like usual.

"'Mione? Is something wrong? You-you aren't yourself…" Hermione looked at him but she never answered him. He knew that something was wrong because she was never had nothing to say. However before Harry could repeat the question she answered.

"Why would you ask that? Nothing is wrong…I am just tired." She comforted Harry with a smile that never reached her eyes. Harry accepted what he got from her and he watched her get up and leave the room carrying with her, a cup of coffee.

·

Hermione had to get away from Harry. He would figure out what she had not wanted anyone to know. Walking down the hallway with a cup of coffee she made her way slowly to her dorm again maybe to take a nap or just go into a dead sleep. Yet, her feet were not carrying her to her room they were carrying her to the dungeons.

_Of course, Snape could give me a sleeping potion. Duh…_

She passed his classroom which stood unnaturally silent and went to his quarters. She threw that he wouldn't be happy, this was his weekend also and like any guy she bed he was still sleeping.

Walking up to the Professors quarters, she had no memory of walking there, Hermione knocked. Listening very closely to the other side she heard him cursing whoever knocked on the door waking him from his sleep. She took a step back just for safety when the door opened just a crack revealing the very angry eyes Snape. Then his entire body, he was dressed in black slacks and a black button down shirt. Hermione had never seen him without his cloak.

"What is so important that you have to knock on my door and wake me from my rest on a Saturday, none the less…"

·

Severus looked at the young woman that stood in front of him; she had just awaked him up from his sleep. One look at her and you could tell that she had not been sleeping well. One part of him wanted to invite her in to the room and the other half was telling him to keep her out there. He sighed and opened the door to her so she could enter the room.

"Is there something that I can help you with, Miss Granger? Or do you wish to bother me so I have no sleep today." He knew what she wanted; it wasn't that hard to see what she was thinking.

Finally after a minute she looked up at him and started.

"Professor, for the last month of lessons, patrolling, and of basically hold my life together-" Snape toned out her voice for a moment, she was near the edge of a breakdown. He had been there many a time, lack of sleep and working for 20s a day eventually takes a toll on a person. And her being 19 years her senior and he knew about sleep deprivation.

"Let me guess, you want me to grant you a sleeping potion?"She looked at him with hopeful yet tired eyes.

"If you can…"He looked at her, she had bags under her eyes and her skin had a grayish tint. Much like Draco had in his sixth year.

"Miss Granger, I am only allowed too if I think that you really need it. I need you to answer me some questions…" She nodded. He motioned to a seat by a desk in the corner of the room.

"Miss Granger, how many hours of sleep a night do you get?"

"About-about 4-5 hours… nightmares" He was surprised at this, for 17 years of age she should have been getting close to 9 hours of rest. The nightmares he could easily stop. "Professor, I really need to get a nights rest. I saw the look on your face when you saw me. I read what went through you mind from your eyes and it wasn't good. Please."

Snape looked at her for a moment, he really studied her. She did need to sleep and he was surprised that she had not yet fainted. Getting up from his chair behind his desk he walked into the shadows and opened a cabinet pulling out a potion bottle. It was from his private store, he also had sleeping trouble…

·

Hermione watched as her Potion teacher walked into the shadows and returned with a bottle. She could sit no longer, standing she watched as he gave her the little bottle. The first thought in her head was to hug him but it was immediately halted as he spoke to her.

"Dreamless sleep potion. I take it that you want more sleep without those nightmares. You will sleep for as long as it takes you to be refreshed."

"Thank-you Professor." And with that Hermione rushed out of the room, she had almost forgotten that her coffee was still in her hand. Taking a sip of it as she made her way up to her room ready to face Morpheus's embrace again, she passed several Slytherin's as she made her way up out of the dungeons, they all gave her dirty looks; one even mumbled _"Mudblood"_ at her. It didn't bother her, not at all.

Upon entering the shared common room she saw Malfoy on the couch reading some book. He didn't even move when she entered the room, he was too entranced in what he was reading. Walking past the couch she saw Crookshanks curled on his lap purring as he scratched his head with his fingers.

"Malfoy…"she waited for his gaze over the top of his book saying that he was listening. "If someone comes here looking for me, don't let them in. I will be sleeping." All she got was a huff of air, in Malfoy language that was a yes or sure I will do that. "And why is my cat on your lap?" This time he looked at her.

"I have one reason. He will not seem to leave me alone." Thus, he returned to his reading.

Walking up the staircase slowly she suddenly felt weak and tired. Eventually, after hours, but were really minutes, Hermione had climbed into her pajamas and swallowed Snape's potion. Soon she fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep…exactly what she needed.

·

Harry paced the Gryffindor Common room with Ron trying to talk some sense into him. Just hours after Hermione fell asleep. Harry was worried for Hermione; he had seen her come up from the dungeons with something in her hand other than the coffee mug she had taken from the Great Hall. He had spoken to Ginny after Hermione had left and she said that Hermione hadn't eaten anything that morn. Apparently Harry and Ginny was not the only people who thought that she looked like crap, almost everyone who she knew thought that.

"What is up with her?"

"Harry, she could just be going through a hard time with Malfoy?" Ron suggested helpfully but Harry doubted that that is the problem.

"No…she told us that she could handle herself. If it was something bigger then she would come to us. Right?" He stopped in front of the fire place looking at Ron.

"Oh yes. She wouldn't do anything rash without us. We couldn't do anything rash without her, she's the brain and were the brawn." He paused for a moment then added, "You are going to put a hole in the rug if you keep pacing."

Harry shrugged and continued his pacing.

"'You know, Harry, I've never seen you this hung up about Hermione." Seamus said descending the stairs still clad in his pajamas.

"Neither have I." Harry said messing the hair up with one of his hands.

A/N- okay, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Please review, I know that you that I know that you want to…lol. The chapter length, without the author note is 1,666 words. I did not mean to do that!


	4. Nightmares

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."  
George Orwell

Chapter Four: Nightmares

Draco climbed out of the shower and pulled a towel around his hips. Six years of Quidditch really takes a toll on someone with vigorous practice. Down the stairs someone was knocking at the door, no it was more like pounding. Getting dresses quickly, he pulling on some boxers and some jeans he didn't bother with a shirt, he walked out of the bathroom. Looked around for Granger and came to the conclusion that she was still in her room. Opening the portrait he gazed down on a very hot headed Potter.

"Potter, to what do I owe this honor?" Draco said with a smirk. Harry tried pushing him; he was searching the Common room for her. However, Draco stopped him by pushing him back with the palm of him hand.

"You can't come in. She told me to tell you not to."

"You never answered my question." Harry trying to push past him again yet again Draco stopped him.

"She is in her room, sleeping." It was the truth although he was sure that Potter would never believe it.

"I don't believe you."

"To damn bad, you are going to have too. Now, if you don't leave my presence I will deduct 50 points." Harry understood the threat and turned and walked away mumbling something to himself.

Draco still had his infamous smirk on his face; going back to his room he finished getting ready.

Hermione woke refreshed and ready to go, flipping over on her side she checked her clock. It was almost 10 in the evening. Doing some quick calculations she figured that she had slept for 15.5 hours. She blew out some air. Getting up out of her bed she didn't bother to get changed out of her pajamas because she was just going to sit in front of the fire and read.

Walking down the stairs she saw Malfoy sitting on the couch with some of his friends around him. She knew them, on his right was Blaise Zabini and on his left was Theodore Nott. They were his new 'body guards; she didn't know what happened to Crabbe and Goyle and she didn't want to. The fire in front of them was burning and on the wooden table was a bowl of red liquid with a red cloth. As she advanced to it she saw that it was water and blood and on the rag was blood.

"What happened?" She said standing in front of the three Slytherin's. Draco looked up at her from staring at the logs in the fire. She saw that he had a black eye, cut lip, and several other bruises and cuts on his face. She looked down on his hand before he had a chance to hide it. It was wrapped in a white cloth that was spotted in red.

"Potter wanted to see you. I didn't let him." He said with his a frown; she had never seemed him with anything other than a sneer.

"So you fought him?" It was a stupid question, but it had to be asked.

"Doesn't it look it?" Nott told her with an evil look in his eye.

"Tell me what happened." Said Hermione taking her seat by the fire.

Flash Back

Another knock sounded at the door, I didn't answer it. Another knock rung through room, still I didn't answer it. Again the person on the opposite of the door knocked even thought this time it was with more force. Getting up, I knew who was at the door…Potter.

The door swung open when I touched it, it had a habit of doing that. Potter was standing less than a foot away from the step up to get into the room. I was glaring at him since I had told him only hours before to piss off.

"Potter. 50 points taken from Gryffindor, for sheer lack of judgment…" I had given him a warning once and when I give my word to someone, I keep it.

"Malfoy. I. Want. To. See. Hermione." He was grinding the words out through his teeth. It wasn't hard to tell that he was angry. He took a step towards me; I stood my ground, holding my pride.

"Sorry, that cannot be arranged, come back later when she is awake… " Out of the bottom of my eye I saw him clench his hand into a fist. I was prepared for the punch and clenched my fists also.  
His fist came from the right with my face blocking it. I stumbled backward wiping the blood from my lip.

"Not bad for a half-blood, even though I know women can hit worse than that." I took a step towards him jamming my fist into his stomach. He doubled over clutching where I had hit him. Taking the opportunity I stood him back up and broke his nose with the heel of my hand. I was about to kick him down when he made a sudden punch to my face again, I felt my eye blacken. I clutched my nose when he hit me again when I heard my nose break. I was still amazingly standing.

"Please Potter my father has done worse." It wasn't a lie, his father had done worse and he has felt much more pain than a broken nose and a few bruises.

I hit him again in the chest; this time feeling something crack it was his rib. He backed against a wall, with nowhere to go, with no one to run tot took am and at the last moment Potter ducked from my aim and ran out the door. Going back to the couch I sat back down with a head ach that felt incurable.

Putting my head in my hand I almost yelled in pain but held it in. Looking at my hand it was covered in blood and it felt broken. This was bad because I had no idea how to fix it without going to the hospital wing and answering questions that I didn't want asked…

Blaise knew how to clean and seal wounds and Nott knew how to mead bones. Walking over to the fire I dashed some floo power in it and when the bright orange flames turned green he called Blaise and Nott up to the Heads Common room.

End Flash Back

Hermione glared at him like he was insane although to her he was. The one thing that surprised her was that she actually listened to her; he kept Harry out of the dorm room…away from her. She watched him peel away the now red cloth, grimacing as he did. Some of his fingers were out of place and she could see the white of his bone.

"Put it in the liquid, it will stop infection from setting in…and bit down on this" Blaise said while tapping the red water with his wand and it instant turned white. He handed Malfoy a leather belt, he took it willingly and put it in his mouth as he placed his hand in the liquid. Hermione heard him say a string of curses and one 'Holy Mary Mother of GOD!' Finally when Blaise told him to take his hand out of the liquid he was deathly white from the apparent pain.

The leather dropped from his mouth and he sank back into the back of the couch. Nott took his hand and tapping it with his wand Malfoy's fingers were set back into place and his hand looked normal except for his knuckles that were still split. That is where Blaise came in and sealed the wound with his wand. The process took no longer than five minutes. While in the process, Hermione noticed something rather odd.

Exactly how many times had they helped him seal and clean wounds and fix bones? It seemed all too familiar to them.

She watched as Blaise clean up the red cloths and the rid them with the still white liquid. And she watched Nott turn his friend on the couch so that he was lying. Nott tapped Malfoy's hand again and it was wrapped up in a pure white bandage. Hermione looked at it strangely but turned away quickly so that Nott couldn't see it, he saw it anyway.

"His hand has to set, one bone wouldn't have to…however, he broke every bone in his hand." He said this quietly, she knew that he was talking to her but he didn't want to believe it himself.

"Oh…" was all she could say.

"Give him an hour. He'll be fine. He always is." Blaise was mumbling as he walked out the door Nott was at his heels.

Hermione looked at him; he was white as a ghost although his color was returning. Making sure that he was still breathing she walked out the door and made her way down to the 4th floor where the Gryffindor Common room was. She was going to see why Harry and Malfoy fought, she was going to hear the other side of the story…it was like her mother had always said, "It takes two to tango."

Minutes passes and Hermione walked down for three flights and one detour because of the moving staircases. However, when she did get there she was greeted with Ginny talking under her breath. Over the years Ginny had always been there for her, even though she was a year younger. They became fast friends and now they thought of each other like the sisters that they never had.

"Careful, Harry is in aright foul mood. He got his ass beat my Malfoy. I don't exactly know what happened…but he went to the Hospital Wing with a cracked rib."

Hermione's eyes widened at the thought that Malfoy had cracked one of Harry's ribs.

"Where is he now?" Ginny nodded her head toward the boy's dormitory. Leaving her red head friends behind her she walked up to the dorm room. Giving a light tap on the door she heard someone ground out a 'come in' through their teeth.

Opening the room door she saw Harry sitting on the edge of his bed with Ron in front of him, trying to calm him down. Harry looked up at her end instantly forgot Runs advice. Theme backed against the door when Marry was only feet from her but before he could take another step towards her, Ron had grabbed his arm and restrained him… it was only for a short time though.

"Ron let me go." He said trying to break free of the red heads grasp.

"I will if you promise to hurt her." Hermione thanked Ron silently; she couldn't feel the courage to speak.

"I promise that I won't hurt her. Let me go. Hurting Hermione is the last thing from my mind." At this Ron let him go. Harry took another step towards Hermione. She could feel her heart pounding, looking into his eye she instantly shouldn't they were filled with anger, pain, hate, lust, and confusion. "Ron…can you leave us?"

She saw the uneasy look in his eye but Harry reassured him again with the look on his face. Ron walked to the door and Hermione moved over for him to pass and she heard him whisper good luck to her and if she needed him she should just scream. When the door closed Harry stood directly in front of her. Hermione could feel goose bumps on her skin; she wasn't one for close proximity if it didn't call for them to be close.

"Harry…um…what is on your mind?" She said wedging out of the space that was between Harry and her. However, she almost ran into a hand. Harry had slammed his hand on the right of her head, Hermione half jumped out of her skin.

"You are. You have been on my mind ever since I first saw you that day in the compartment, when you were helping Neville look for Trevor..." Harry saw the genuine look of fear in her eyes for he instantly apologized and backed away from her. "I am sorry Hermione; I don't know what came over me." Turning his back to me, I forgave him, silently.

Walking behind him I laid my hand upon his shoulder and as I went around him let it slip up his neck onto his cheek. He took a step towards her and before she knew it she was pulled into a kiss that was unavoidable. She realized something and pushed against his chest a little light headed.

"What about Ginny? I-" She was cut off by Harry. Her hand fell to her side as she struggled to think…it proved to be impossible as he ran his hand through her hair and down her spine.

Draco opened his eyes slowly, he felt better and his hand didn't hurt anymore. He had to thank his friends every time they helped him and learn how to heal himself. Pushing himself back into a sitting position he looked at his wrapped hand. Unpeeling the cloth, his hand was as white as a ghost. Curling his fingers into a fist he could see his veins then slowly he uncurled them. His hand was returning to its normal color which was not far from him skin color because he was very pale.

Walking around he looked at the place where he punched the wall, although that wall had no dent it was spotted with his blood. On the ground was blood from either him or Potter. At the thought of his enemy he could feel his heart rate quicken, Draco quickly shooed the thought away and took a deep breath. Behind him the door opened and in walked Granger, she was still clad in her pajamas.

She looked up at him. It was not hard to notice the silly smile on her face and her swollen lips, she had been kissing someone. Draco was not in the habit of asking people what they had just done or where they had just come from but she seemed different. He saw the smile fall from her face but not disappear from his sight.

"I'm glad to see that you're up." She said walking past him in the main room.

"Where have you been?" following her, she turned and glowered at him before she started talking.

"Well, if you must know, I was making things right with Harry. Do you know that you cracked one of his ribs along with giving him a black eye and a broken nose?"

She saw him smirked his evil, signature, smirk. Hermione wanted to strangle him as he pushed past her.

Hermione almost couldn't take it anymore. She was lightheaded from kissing Harry and she was angry at Malfoy for hurting him. Then she felt a little pity for him because he broke him hand keeping Harry away from her because she asked him to and her would have easily went to Dumbledore if he found out that she had taken that sleeping potion. Stalking up to her room she slammed the door and jumped into her bed, settling into it easily. After a while sleep eventually took over her and she welcomed it with open arms.

Walking through a dark tunnel I turned around. I thought I heard someone behind me, whispering to me. I continued walking not knowing where my feet were leading. There was not a light at the end of the tunnel by a large door. I reached it and felt that it was cold…

"You will serve me Mudblood…Crucio!" A cold high voice said behind me. The curse hit me, it was undeniable pain. Then it was gone. Turning quickly, there was no one. I reached for my wand, it wasn't in my pocket. My breathing quickened, now I knew that I was defenseless. Pushing on the cold door a draft of cold air hit me and I looked down. I could feel that there was not floor if I took a step forward. Trying to take a step backwards an invisible force was stopping me and I suddenly fell for ward.

I hit the ground, hard. I didn't know where I was, panic filled by body. My heart beat a little faster like a snare drum ready to go into war, steadily beating faster. Standing slowly, I could feel a presence about me. I could hear a man breathing.

"You will serve me Mudblood. Crucio!" The curse hit me again, it hurt worse than before. The spell wasn't lifted as soon. It soaked into my heart, the pain the agony of the knife tore into her skin.

"Granger." A voice was pulling her into reality, yet it was not strong enough to pull her out of the REM sleep.

I screamed louder, the knife was digging into my soul, the curse was still ongoing.

"Granger!" Someone was pulling her out of her bed and into a pair of strong arms.

"Hermione! Wake up, you are dreaming. No one is going to hurt you…"

Hermione woke up shaking, she was cold. Tears were streaming down her face and she could feel several bruises appearing on her skin. Someone was trying to calm her, at first she thought that it was Harry but he couldn't get into her dorm. She looked at Malfoy and was shocked that it was him that was calming her and succeeding.

She wiped her eyes and looked at him, he seemed worried for her. She let him rock back and forth and gently caress her lower back. He kept talking to her, trying to keep her sane or from crying again. Ten minutes passed and she looked into his grey eyes again. She couldn't breathe, speak, or blink from his gaze, she had never seen his metallic eyes show emotion. Hermione turned away and removed herself from his lap.

"What happened in your nightmare?" He asked her, she looked back at him and noticed that he was clad in only pajama pants, he was perfect.

"Nightmare? What nightmare?" She denied difficulty, Draco stood and walked to her placing his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it slightly, silently letting her know that she couldn't lie to him.

"Don't lie to me; you are as white as your sheets. You were screaming bloody murder, enough to wake even the heaviest of sleepers…me. We're going to talk about this, if you like it or not." Hermione looked at her enemy like he was crazy with only two thoughts going through her mind.

'Who the fuck was he and why in hell is he talking to her?'

She watched as he made his way from her room and down the stairs to the Common Room. She followed intrigued in his strange behavior. She sat on the couch and he sat beside her. It almost scared her to see him acting like a normal person not an emotionless blob.

"Now," he started again, "What happened?" Hermione took a deep breath and started. She kept her eyes looking at the now empty fire place; if she looked up she would be too distracted by the lack of his shirt.

It only took ten minutes of talking before she ended up crying into his shoulder, again. She could hear his voice talking softly in her ear. One of his hands was rubbing slow circles on her lower back and the other was trying to get her to drink.

Draco sat on the couch in the Common Room trying to get the crying woman by him to stop crying. When his mind flashed back to just 20 minutes prior to the couch.

He didn't know what came over him earlier when he woke to the sound of screaming he thought of his mother and how she sounds like when his father is mad at her. He fell out of his bed, not bothering to grab his wand because he had his fists. The screaming was coming from Grangers room, not bothering knock he turned the knob and the door swung open and he climbed on the edge of her bed trying to wake her from her torture.

"Granger. Wake up." He said when she had stopped screaming for just a moment. He looked at her; he barely knew what to do, she was screaming and struggling like she was being tortured. He thought of two ideas in his head, she screamed again almost calling for him to think faster. One was dousing her with water to wake her but that was never a great idea, so Draco chose the other option.

Lifting her from her bed and into his arms he called her name, not Granger but Hermione, it seemed to rouse her from her treacherous dream. She wrapped her arms around him; she needed the comfort just like his mother did, and cried into his shoulder. He felt her shaking slowly stop, her breathing slow, but her grasp never failed from his shoulders. He could feel her fear. Eventually she looked at him and he was glad to see only the remains of tears on her cheeks. She pushed against him and got up.

"What happened in your nightmare?" He asked.

Now almost 25 minutes later she had poured her heart out to him and yet again cried into his bare shoulder. He listened to her breathing, it had slowed, her heart beat into his chest and that had slowed much from when she woke, her tears were dried up and her eyes were closed. She was sleeping on his shoulder, hopefully she would sleep better. Professor Snape was not the only one who knew about her sleeping problem. Lifting her slowly he got up from under her, she moaned to him opening her eyes they were glazed over.

"Don't go…" Draco thought about it for a moment and sat back down but not before he made the couch more comfortable for both of them. Lying down, she unconsciously laid next to him and he wrapped his arm around her waist. Somehow he could feel that she felt safe with him. Focusing on her breathing he fell to sleep feeling easy and uneasy at the same time.

How would his father or the Dark Lord feel about that? How would Hermione take it when she woke? Would she tell Potter? He forgot the questions when he looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms. Just the fact that she was there sleeping easy led him to believe that everything was alright.

How could he be that stupid?

A/N-yea, this is my longest chapter so far. I is a mear 3,780 words without the author note. Thankyou for the ppl who have the actual resect to review...I am not saying that the other ppl are rude, just review...PLEASE. If there is something that you don't like or if you think that I should do something, just drop me a note and I will think about it.

Believe me, the reviews do help me write...  
thehiddenlily


	5. hogsmeade

Chapter Five: An Explanation

Draco woke from a deep sleep with burning on his left arm, he almost screamed in pain. It was not something that one would wake up to. Stranding up he noticed that he was alone that was not what bothered him. Running up to his room he sat in the middle of his floor with a potion in running down his arm and the empty bottle smashed on the floor. He closed his eyes and waited for the potion to take effect. He breathed deeply then felt his mind being pulled away from his body.

"Draco…at last." A cold voice said from behind him Draco turned to the voice and bowed.

"My Lord, you called for me..." Draco said into his knees almost.

"Stand Draco-" the Dark Lord said slowly, Draco did so not looking his master in the eye. He concentrated on blocking him mind so the cruel man could not unhinge it "Lucius has given me word that you are the Head Boy at the school." Draco nodded calmly he knew that a plan was forming in the mind of the other.

"Yes, milord, I am Head Boy."

"And the Miss Granger is Head Girl? Are my sources correct?"

"Yes, your sources are correct. I, my lord, do not see where this is leading. What would you like with her?"

"I, Draco, want her serving under me. I did some research on her family; she is not a Mudblood as we all lead on about her…"

Draco listened carefully to what Voldemort was saying never letting his eyes move upward. If he was listening correctly then he was saying that Hermione was not a muggleborn but she was a pureblood from a long line of deceivers.

"She is Pure, milord?" Confusion was etched across his face.

"She is purer than Salazar himself. You will lead her to me, and she will join us."

"Yes, m'lord."

"Dismissed." The Dark Lord waved his hand and Draco woke in his room with a light sweat on his face. It was always difficult for him to travel without his body.

Standing he thought about his new mission. It was what his master wanted from him and Draco could not deny it. He took a deep breath and blinked a few times, checking his watch he had almost a half an hour to get showered, dressed and eat. Grabbing a towel Draco got ready quickly.

{·}

Blaise looked over at his platinum friend and noticed that his hair was wet and he was mumbling under his breath while he shoved food into him mouth. He was in a right foul mood and he was not the only one to notice. Blaise looked across to Nott who what busy drinking his coffee and listening to the mumbles. He turned back to the food on his plate, eggs, bacon, sausages, and piece of half eaten toast with jam on it.

It was nearly seven when the mail came soaring into the Hall. Blaise, like usual had no mail, Nott received the news paper and Draco got a letter. He tried to see whom it was from but he read it quickly glanced up at someone and lit the note on fire watching it burn on the plate.

"Who was it from?"Blaise asked glancing at the small pile of ash on the golden plate.

"No one important…" His voice was cold and unfeeling. It was always like that but Blaise could feel the hate behind it. Blaise watched as his friend got up, grabbed his backpack and headed into the dungeons for Potions.

"What is ticking him off today?" Nott asked getting up and also grabbing.

"I don't know. I feel sorry for the person that ticked him off and the next person to encounter him." Blaise said answering while he too stood and retrieved his backpack from under the bench and heading down to the dungeons to Potions also.

{·}

The morning classes were awful to Hermione. She was tired and confused but she looked, as Harry had said, radiant. She had woke up in Malfoy's arms on the couch with her head resting on his shirtless chest. She immediately climbed off him and away from the feeling of liveliness. She thought about how she got on the couch in his arms but all she remembered was a nightmare, shushing, crying and laying down. She had told him all about her nightmare but now…she could not recall what it was about.

After running up to her room and scrubbing herself away from the smell of his skin then getting dressed, she pulled a piece of paper out from her desk drawer and wrote a letter to him. She didn't know what she was going to write but she explained everything in it. She had to or she would get pulled into a bad relationship and away from her relationship with Harry.

Malfoy,

I have no idea what was going through your head when you came into my room last night trying to help me. I am writing this letter to you for you to know never to help me again because I do not want your help nor do I need it.

She didn't sign it because she knew that he would know it was her. Rolling it up she put his name on the outside and walked it to the Owlery before heading to breakfast.

Now it was lunch and she was walking in the crowd from Ancient Runes down to the Great Hall. All around her people were chatting with their friends; Ron and Harry were two floors below her coming from Charms. She hugged the right strap of her backpack to her tightly part of her felt entirely alone and abandon and the other half was screaming at her to get a grip and be happy.

Walking down several steps she took a side passage that took her down three levels and in to what seemed like a brick wall. She fell to the ground only to be cushioned by the stone floor. Looking up she saw the person that she didn't want to face turn around. It was Draco flanked by Blaise and Nott, each giving her a dirty look.

"Granger, are you blind or learning how to walk?"He said coldly with Blaise and Nott guffawing behind him.

"Malfoy, could you be any ruder?" Hermione said standing up and facing him. She looked at the stupid little smirk on his face and hated him for it.

"I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant…"

Hermione was speechless as he walked away. A small but sad smile grew on her face, it was funny and disturbing his comeback was. He wasn't being rude, she was just insignificant…Where did he come up with those? Did he just hear those, or read them in a book, and store them in his mind to use one day?

Hermione shook off the insult and walked slowly to the Great Hall smiling. Harry and Ron were standing by the door holding their bags on their shoulder. Hermione looked Harry over, he hair was rumples because he ran his hands through it, his shirt was not tucked and his green eyes were busy regaining focus from the four hours of classes that they just sat through.

"What are you smiling about?"Ron asked angrily at her, she looked him over. Ron's shirt looked as if something had blown up on it and parts of his face were grey.

"Nothing, nothing…um…did Seamus blow-up something in Transfiguration? Again?"Ron rolled his eyes so she guessed that she was right. "And you were sitting next to him right?"

"Is it that bad?" He asked looking down at the bottom of his shirt.

"Yea, Ron, it is. Hold on." Hermione pointed her wand him and mumbled the spell.

"Scourgify."Hermione looked at her handy work; Ron looked as good as new and squeaky clean.

"Lunch?" Harry said wrapping an arm around her, Hermione liked the feeling of being protected and moved closer to him.

"Lunch sounds great…"

{·}

It wasn't until the later that evening that Hermione got to finally relax. She sank into her chair willingly; in front of her were several piles of books and papers stacked upon those books. Taking a deep breath she sat up and rubbed her temples. Grabbing a quill and her ink well she grabbed the book closest to her and started on the 24" essay that she was assigned to write.

Yawning, Hermione put her last essay into her bag so it was safe. Looking at her watch she had only sat at the same table for 2 hours. Pulling a cashmere sweater over her tee-shirt, she had made sure that she had changed before doing her work. To do her work she had to be comfortable. Looking around, her eyes caught a tapestry hanging on the wall, it intrigued her.

Behind her the door, quickly Hermione turned, it opened to Malfoy who stumbled in muddy and sweaty from his Quidditch practice with his broom over his shoulder. Just for a second their eyes matched, it seemed more than a second though it felt like eternity. Hermione looked away and he continued up the stairs, she looked back at the tapestry and spoke loudly.

"Malfoy, we have patrolling tonight and we have to start in five minutes…" She heard him grumble something about that he was coming and for her to wait. They really didn't have to start in five minutes they really had to start within the next half hour. However, Hermione was always punctual and she was not planning to be late, again. For the past few weeks, Malfoy had scheduled his practice so he would miss the patrolling but she had asked Harry to plan for the Gryffindor team practices so Malfoy would have to do his given job.

She waited patiently by the door and eventually he came down from his room, rather quickly also. Hermione chuckled to herself. She was thinking that in the mornings she only took a short time to ready herself. He, strangely enough, took more time than her to ready himself.

"What are you laughing about?" Malfoy said walking up to her with a glare in his eye.

"You." Hermione said still laughing while she walked out the door. Since the Heads Dorm was on the very top of the castle they two made their way down to the first floor and worked their way back up.

{·}

Draco looked to his left, the woman next to him, the woman that he had comforted the night before, the woman that the Dark Lord wanted, was humming happily. He could not understand how her mood brought him down further. He was thinking how he was going to go about his masters will. He looked back in front of him at the ground.

"Malfoy?" He looked back to his left when he heard him sir name.

"What?"

"Tell me why you helped me last night? You never help anyone less than yourself." Hermione sounded deep in her thoughts. Draco stopped and took a deep breath leaning next to the wall for support. He yawned and started in on his explanation. He saw Hermione lean on the wall across from him and listen carefully.

"Throughout my life, Granger, my father has treated my mother badly. He has always been cruel and vile…to anyone who has crossed his path. In the later years when I was ten or eleven he started abusing her. After a while I snapped. One day, I stepped in front of him before he could hit her and I woke up in St. Mungo's a week later.

"Now, I helped you because still the screams of my mother haunts me because I know that he still hurts her when I am here and there is nothing that I can do. When I woke to your screams I immediately knew that it was bad. It sounded like when my mother was being tortured."

Draco's story ended and he looked up at her.

"I-I-I am speechless."

"Good that means that you believe me." Draco started walking again, they were only one the fourth floor and they had to get back to their dorm.

"It is just when I woke up in your arms I went into a panic. Me, not knowing what went on…it freaked me out." He heard her said behind him.

"Granger, I did not pull anything on you, believe me. I save that for later…"

{·}

After deduction about 50 points from each of the students that were wondering the halls the two heads finally got back to the common room, tired and both in a better mood than that when they left. Hermione had never seen that side of Malfoy, a sensitive and kinder side of him and she almost could not admit that she was sort of attracted to him. However, she had Harry and she was perfectly intent on keeping him.

Hermione walked up to her bathroom and readied herself for bed. Stepping in front of her door she placed a silencing spell on her room. She did not want another midnight save from Malfoy. She was content on not having another nightmare so she sipped a dreamless sleep potion that she had asked for just after potion class. Crawling into her feather bed she drifted off into her dreamless sleep.

She fell asleep happy because she knew that there were going to be nothing to disturb her. However, the potion would protect from dreams and nightmares it did not, however protect against visions…or from people tapping into her mind.

Well…I lift you all on a cliff hanger. I hate them too, but they are so fun to write. Now, I have you all hooked on me,*laughs evilly*. Thank you for reading and come back with the next chapter. There will be some quality time with some characters, I will not say who. Review!

(... Sé por favor que usted sabe que le deseo a. ¡Revisión tan justa!) 


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